In the event of an emergency or pandemic that requires campus closure or curtailment of operations, our college, along with other colleges and schools on campus, developed a pro-active response plan in order to assure safety and minimize a disruption in operations. The plan identifies key contacts in our college and critical functions that would receive priority during an emergency. Provost Hinshaw is overseeing development of a campuswide business continuity plan, based on the plans from all of the colleges and schools.

During the summer, a workgroup was established in this college to develop a plan that would address business continuity during crises. The workgroup requested input from department and unit managers, and developed a plan that identifies key operations and key contacts in the college. Tom Kaiser, executive assistant dean for administration, chaired the committee, whose members were Bob Brewer (environmental science and policy), Ann Filmer, Adam Getchell, Anne Muenster, Rob Scharf, and Diane Ullman (Dean’s Office), Karen Gurley (food science and technology), Garry Pearson (plant sciences), and Dan Sehnert (animal sciences).

Some of the essential operations that were identified by the workgroup for our college include payroll and related operations, information technology and communications (particularly if people are off-campus and need information), and maintenance of living organisms and specimens (animals, plants, etc.). Key contacts in the departments and Dean’s Office were also identified.

With this plan, we hope to be able to address crises in a manner that will assure the health and safety of our students, employees, and community, while continuing the essential business functions within the university. Additional information on the campuswide avian flu pandemic planning can be seen at http://safetyservices.ucdavis.edu/emergencymgmt/avianinfluenza.cfm.

If you have questions about the plan please contact any of the committee members. As always, I value your feedback. If you have questions or comments, please e-mail me.

A CE specialist in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Steve Blank received the Outstanding Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics Article Award from the Western Agricultural Economics Association (WAEA). Blanks’ paper, Profit Patterns Across American Agriculture, is published in the Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics 30, 2 (2005):205–230.

Christine Bruhn, CE specialist in the Department of Food Science and Technology, has been selected to receive the Julius Bauermann Lectureship Award from the Institute of Food Technologists. The award is presented each year to a scientist who has made significant advancements in food science and technology. The awardee is chosen by a jury of section members selected to represent different areas of specialization and of the industry — government, academic, and industry representatives are included.

Past UC Davis recipients of the award include professors Emil Mrak and John Kinsella. Bruhn will receive the recognition in October in Philadelphia.

A professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics since 1995, Catherine Morrison Paul has been selected to be a fellow of the American Agricultural Economics Association. Her research has primarily involved modeling and measuring technological and market structure and performance, including productivity growth, capacity utilization, input demand and composition, market power, regulatory distortions, public infrastructure benefits, and knowledge, environmental, and spatial spillovers.

Richard Sexton, a professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, received the Outstanding Published Research Award from the Western Agricultural Economics Association (WAEA). Sexton’s paper, A Multinomial Logit Framework to Estimate Bid Shading in Procurement Auctions: Application to Cattle Sales in the Texas Panhandle, is published in the Review of Industrial Organization 27 (2005):253–278.

Steve Vosti, an adjunct professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, received the CGIAR Science Award for Outstanding Partnership for his "Alternatives to Slash-and-Burn (ASB) Program." The program addresses development of more environment-friendly farming techniques and slowing deforestation.

The UC Davis Arboretum continues to expand its sustainable landscape outreach and education programs through its All-Star program, new garden developments, and new exhibits. Work is underway to develop exhibits for the Ruth Risdon Storer Garden, featuring best plants and gardening practices for Central Valley Gardens. This project highlights sustainable garden practices such as composting and recycling of garden waste, use of least-toxic pesticides to prevent watershed contamination and conserve beneficial insects, and use of water conservation techniques such as mulches and drip irrigation systems to reduce water loss.

A comparison of various irrigation systems is built into the display for visitors interested in the pros and cons of different methods of irrigation water delivery. California native plants are highlighted in displays throughout the arboretum because of their importance as nectar, pollen, fruit, and larval food sources for native insects and birds.

Also featured in this educational project are signs highlighting arboretum All-Star selections. These All-Star plants are able to survive hot, dry conditions with less water and were selected based on aesthetic merit, low maintenance needs, and wildlife value. Visitors will see the beauty and value of drought-tolerant, low-impact gardens, will learn the best plants for low-water gardening, and will learn how to grow these plants successfully. They will then be better able to create their own drought-tolerant, low-input, and more-sustainable landscapes.

Sustainable gardening plants will be available at the Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum annual Plant Faire on October 7, 2006. Check the web at www.arboretum.ucdavis.edu.

Incoming freshmen in our college will have a new opportunity starting this fall to join a Career Discovery Group (CDG). Participants choose from one of 18 diverse Career Discovery Group topics. They take a cluster of three classes linked to their CDG topic, one per quarter during their freshman year, including a general education course, a class that explores a major-related topic, and a career discovery seminar led by the campus Internship and Career Center. Each CDG is limited to 20 students and is mentored by a Career Discovery Fellow, a graduate student who organizes discussions and activities geared to the students’ interests.

“We developed Career Discovery Groups to help freshmen explore their career options early in the undergraduate experience,” said Diane Ullman, associate dean for undergraduate academic programs. According to Dave Rizzo, director of the Science and Society Program, “New students can get exposure to a career path right away while earning credit toward major and graduation requirements. Our research shows that students who choose a career path and a major early are more likely to graduate in four years.”

The program is voluntary, and is open to all students, whether undeclared (exploratory) or entering with a major. If you have questions about the Career Discovery Groups, please visit http://sas.ucdavis.edu or contact Rizzo or Ullman.

University Communications has announced its media training schedule for the 2006–07 academic year, with dates for both regular and advanced media training. The one-day regular training workshop is recommended for any faculty, administrator, or staff member likely to be called upon to do media interviews. The provost often asks new administrators to attend, and some deans require new department chairs to attend the workshop. Faculty and staff with expertise on hot media topics, and even graduate students and undergraduate student leaders are welcome to enroll. Class sizes are intentionally small, so sign up early.

The regular “Media Training I” is a full-day class, taught by Paul Pfotenhauer, UC Davis News Service broadcast specialist, and Lisa Lapin, assistant vice chancellor for University Communications. The cost is $35, which includes program materials and lunch. Dates are Oct. 12, Nov. 9, Jan. 11, Feb. 8, and April 12.

The “Advanced Media Training” class, taught by Pfotenhauer and Mitchel Benson, News Service director, is a three-hour program for those who have completed the first class. Dates are Oct. 11, Dec. 6, and March 7.

To register for any of the classes, contact: Paul Pfotenhauer (530) 752-6397[email protected]

“California Native All-Star Plants,” Saturday, September 23, 2006, 10:00 a.m., Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center Learn about gardening with native plants and plan for fall planting season during this tour of the UC Davis Arboretum. Native plants are popular with gardeners because they are adapted to our climate and they support native birds and pollinators. Docent Bev Watros will lead the tour, which will focus on the Arboretum All-Stars — great native plants for Central Valley gardens.

“Plant Faire Preview,” Saturday, September 30, 2006, 11:00 a.m., Arboretum Nursery at Orchard Park Fall is planting season in the Central Valley. Learn how to choose the right plant for the right spot in your garden. Tour the UC Davis Arboretum nursery to plan for shopping at the Plant Faire, the Arboretum’s big annual plant sale, which will take place on October 7. Docent Mary Patterson will lead the tour, which will meet at the Arboretum Nursery at Orchard Park, on Orchard Road at LaRue Road.

“Annual Plant Faire,” Saturday, October 7, 2006, Public sale 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; member sale 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.; Arboretum Nursery at Orchard Park, UC Davis Gardeners throughout northern California look forward to the annual Plant Faire at the UC Davis Arboretum because they know they'll find a huge selection of outstanding plants for Central Valley gardens, including many unusual plants that can be found nowhere else. The sale features the arboretum All-Stars, tough and dependable plants that thrive in hot Central Valley gardens.

“Arboretum Volunteer Training,” Fridays, October 20–December 15, 2006 The UC Davis Arboretum will conduct a training program for arboretum volunteers. Currently needed are education volunteers, curatorial team members, nursery assistants, and gardeners. For more information, contact Amy McGuire, (530) 754-9126, or [email protected].

Immigration Reform and Its Implications for Farmers and Workers; October 2, 2006

Phil Martin, professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, will present the seminar, Immigration Reform and Its Implications for Farmers and Workers, on Monday, October 2, 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Room 3201, Hart Hall. Martin is chair of the UC Comparative Immigration and Integration Program and editor of the monthly "Migration News" and the "Quarterly Rural Migration News." His field interests are immigration, farm labor, and economic development. The seminar is part of the Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety monthly seminar series.

Faculty are invited to join Dean Neal Van Alfen in thanking and welcoming outgoing and incoming department chairs, members of the college executive committees, and undergraduate master advisers at the CA&ES “Fall Faculty Social” on Tuesday, October 3, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Silo Pub. Wine, beer, and hors d’oeuvres will be served. RSVP by Wednesday, September 27 to:

Find out about the latest research on exotic invaders by joining the UC Exotic/Invasive Pests and Diseases Research Program Workshop on October 3 at UC Riverside. From the glassy-winged sharpshooter that can cause Pierce’s disease of grapes and oleander leaf scorch, to fire ants that have infested residential areas in southern California, UC scientists are finding ways to prevent, detect, and control or eradicate these and other invaders. The workshop is part of the Riverside campus's 2006–07 100th anniversary celebration of the contributions of the Citrus Experiment Station to pest and disease management.

Highlights of the program include the role of arthropods in the spread of exotic Newcastle disease in southern California, molecular markers to identify herbicide resistance in weeds infesting California rice fields, an educational program to help identify and prevent the spread of the Asian citrus psyllid, flight studies of the red imported fire ant, and findings on the ecological and economic risk of wild pigs in California oak woodland ecosystems.

The 32nd annual UC Davis Arboretum Plant Faire will be held on Saturday, October 7, in the Arboretum Nursery at Orchard Park. The public sale is from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., but members can get an early start from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Gardeners throughout northern California look forward to the annual Plant Faire because of its huge selection of outstanding plants for Central Valley gardens, including many unusual plants that can be found nowhere else. The sale features the Arboretum All-Stars -- tough and dependable plants that thrive in hot Central Valley gardens. There will also be lots of new and different plants for adventuresome gardeners

There will be a wide variety of plants for special garden needs, including plants for shade under trees, drought-tolerant plants, plants to attract birds and butterflies, and even carnivorous plants. There will also be many California native plants, ornamental grasses, herbs, and a lovely selection of antique heritage roses, along with unusual shrubs and trees from the arboretum collection. The Davis Botanical Society will bring a variety of exotic tropical houseplants from their greenhouse.

For the best selection, the member sale starts at 8:00 a.m. Anyone may join at the door and enjoy early admission and reduced prices. Shoppers are advised to bring a cart or wagon for their purchases. Proceeds from the sale support maintenance and development of the Arboretum's gardens, collections, and educational programs for children and adults.

On Friday, October 13, the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences will bestow its Awards of Distinction at its 18th annual College Celebration in Freeborn Hall. The event is held each year at harvest time to celebrate the advancement and accomplishments of our college and its impact on agriculture and the environment.

The Award of Distinction is the highest recognition presented by the college to individuals whose contributions and achievements enrich the image and reputation of the college and enhance its ability to provide public service. Mark your calendars for this fun event. For more information, see http://caes.ucdavis.edu/NewsEvents/Events/Celebration/Default.htm.

Strip-till and No-till Workshops will be held on Thursday, October 19, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the UC West Side Research and Extension Center in Five Points, Calif. The conference, sponsored by the Conservation Tillage Workgroup, will feature field demonstration workshops on no-till/high residue and strip-tillage production systems for corn, cotton, and tomatoes.

It will provide an opportunity for interactive discussions with farmers, researchers, and private sector partners who are actively working to develop and refine a variety of conservation tillage (CT) approaches. A panel discussion on “CT Systems: What’s Working and What Isn’t?” will precede the lunch, keynote address, and presentation of the Conservation Tillage Farmer Innovator Award. To view the complete program, please go to the Conservation Tillage Web site at http://groups.ucanr.org/ucct.

The WateReuse Association, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Washington State University invite you to attend “Opportunities and Challenges in Agricultural Water Reuse,” a specialty conference to be held October 29–31, at the Hyatt Vineyard Creek in Santa Rosa, Calif. The conference will cover success stories in agricultural water reuse, the USDA’s role in water management, regulations and health aspects of using recycled water on edible and nonedible crops, economics, technology, and public perception.

The Aquatic Weed School is a two-day course focusing on weed management strategies in a variety of aquatic ecosystems. The course covers ecological classification, biology and impacts of aquatic weeds, physical and chemical characteristics of aquatic ecosystems, weed management, and hands-on aquatic weed identification including potentially new invasives. The course will also focus on regulatory issues concerned with prevention strategies, the Aquatic Nuisance Species State Plan, and the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permitting Program, and endangered species.

The school is for those involved in consulting, research, and management of aquatic weed systems in the western United States. Lecture notes plus an identification diagnostic CD for grasses and broadleaf weeds will be provided. For more information, visit http://wric.ucdavis.edu and click on “Aquatic Weed School”

The 2006 Western Alfalfa and Forage Conference will be held December 11–13 in Reno, Nevada. The conference covers 11 states in the western area.

A bus field tour will visit special features of Nevada agriculture (alfalfa, dairy, and specialty crops) and tourist sites. Session topics include emerging issues and market trends, economics and profitability, pest management, utilizing forage crops, irrigation and soils, future trends, harvesting, and risk management in forage production. The conference will feature a full trade show and an auction featuring farming supplies and equipment.

CA&ES Currents, the faculty/staff newsletter of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at UC Davis, is published on the first and third Thursday of each month (in July and August, only on the first Thursday.)

Some Web links cited in this newsletter may be inaccessible to off-campus sites. If you want to view the full stories on the Web from off campus, you will need to provide a username and password the first time you try to view a story: username: clips password: newz

To be added to or deleted from this electronic newsletter list, please write to [email protected].

The University of California does not discriminate in any of its policies, procedures or practices. The university is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.

Autumn has arrived and with it an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of our college and the people who make it possible. Please join us October 13 in Freeborn Hall for the 18th annual College Celebration.

The event gets under way at 5:30 p.m. as we acknowledge eight very deserving recipients of the Award of Distinction -- the highest recognition we present to individuals whose contributions and achievements enrich the image and reputation of the college and enhance its ability to provide public service.

This year we honor Los Banos dairyman Richard Cotta, local public broadcaster David Hosley, and West Sacramento horticultural consultant Gary Hudson as “friends” of the college by virtue of their public commitment and support to CA&ES. Three special alumni are also among this year’s award winners -- Taipei environmental champion Bruce Berkman, Tulare mayor Richard Ortega, and food science leader Herbert Stone. We also acknowledge the outstanding dedication of two members of the CA&ES family -- Gary Anderson, distinguished professor in the Department of Animal Science, and Carol Cooper, an undergraduate academic advisor in the Department of Food Science and Technology.

College Celebration is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and friends as the new academic year gets under way. Delicious food and beverages will be served in the reception that follows the award ceremony. I hope you will join us for what promises to a very special evening. For more details, see the separate article in this issue. As always, I value your feedback. If you have questions or comments, please e-mail me.

Chair and professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Richard Howitt received the Quality of Research Discovery from the American Agricultural Economics Association. Howitt’s paper, “Estimating Intertemporal Preferences for Natural Resource Allocation,” is published in the American Journal of Agricultural Economics 87(4) (November 2005):969–983.

Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Quirino Paris received the Quality of Research Discovery from the American Agricultural Economics Association. Paris’s paper, “An Atemporal Microeconomic Theory and an Empirical Test of Price-Induced Technical Progress,” is published in the Journal of Productivity Analysis 24 (2005):259–281.

Daniel Sumner, director of the Agricultural Issues Center and professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, received the Quality of Communication Award: Honorable Mention from the American Agricultural Economics Association. Sumner’s paper, “Capitalization of Farm Policy Benefits and the Rate of Return to Policy-Created Assets: Evidence from California Dairy Quota,” is published in the Review of Agricultural Economics, 27(2) (Summer 2005):245–258.

Professor Emeritus Bob Feeney, who retired from the Department of Food Science and Technology in 1984, passed away on September 21 at age 94. Services were held on October 2 in Davis. Feeney was an internationally recognized protein chemist and studied the mechanism of antifreeze proteins in suppressing and modifying ice growth. A prolific writer and reader, in addition to his many academic papers he wrote two books about his expeditions to the Antarctic.

The Department of Human and Community Development has planned a memorial service for Ted Bradshaw on Friday, October 20, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. in the Main Theatre on campus. A reception will be held immediately after the service at the University Club from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Bradshaw, who died August 5, was a professor of community development who helped California communities grapple with base closures, energy issues, and creating healthy social systems. He was a leader in the areas of rural and community development and energy policy. Most recently, Bradshaw chaired the effort to establish the new Center for the Study of Regional Change and was appointed last year as director of the Gifford Center for Population Studies.

Michael Pollan’s book, “The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” is the selection for the 2006 Campus Community Book Project. A large number of events relating to the project have been scheduled for October and November, culminating in the author’s visit to UC Davis on November 29.

Because so many of the events relate to individuals, programs, and activities in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, a copy of the events program will be e-mailed separately to “CA&ES Currents” recipients. For additional information, visit the Campus Community Book Project Web site, http://occr.ucdavis.edu/ccbp2006/.

Open Enrollment for active employees and retirees will be shorter than in past years, from November 1–November 21, and will end at midnight on Tuesday, November 21, 2006. Benefits information for UC Davis can be found at http://hr.ucdavis.edu/benefits/ and for the UC system at http://atyourservice.ucop.edu/.

Staff, students, faculty, and community women can enroll in self-defense classes scheduled for Mondays and Wednesdays, October 23, 25, 30, and November 1, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. The RAD (Rape Aggression Defense) class teaches strategies to increase awareness and reduce risk, as well as provide simple self-defense techniques designed for women of all ages, body types, and physical abilities. The course will enhance confidence, increase security, and help participants realize their own power.

Participants can make a donation of $10/student, $20/staff and faculty, and $30/community member, but no one is turned away for lack of funds. The program is sponsored by the Campus Violence Prevention Program, Campus Unions Programs, and the Women's Resources and Research Center (WRRC). For more information or to register for the class, contact the Women’s Resources and Research Center at (530) 752-3372.

“Folk Music Jam Session in the Arboretum,” Friday, October 6 and October 20, noon to 1:00 p.m., Wyatt Deck (adjacent to the Arboretum Redwood Grove). Campus and community folk musicians are invited to play together informally during this acoustic jam session. Pull out your fiddles, guitars, mandolins, penny whistles, pipes, flutes, squeezeboxes, and other instruments, and join your fellow musicians for a little bluegrass, old-time, blues, Celtic, klezmer, and world music over the lunch hour. Listeners are welcome!

“Annual Plant Faire,” Saturday, October 7, 2006, Public sale 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; member sale 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.; Arboretum Nursery at Orchard Park. Gardeners throughout northern California look forward to the annual Plant Faire at the UC Davis Arboretum because they know they'll find a huge selection of outstanding plants for Central Valley gardens, including many unusual plants that can be found nowhere else. The sale features the arboretum All-Stars, tough and dependable plants that thrive in hot Central Valley gardens.

“Great California Native Plants,” Sunday, October 8, 2006, 2:00 p.m., Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center. Fall in the native plant garden brings mellow colors, beautiful seeds, and some late blooms. Join docent Bev Watros for a guided tour of the native plant collection in the arboretum and learn about some great native plants for Central Valley landscapes.

“Walk with Warren,” Wednesday, October 11, 2006, noon, Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center. Join arboretum superintendent Warren Roberts for a lunchtime stroll in the arboretum. Enjoy the crisp fall weather, learn about the arboretum’s collections, and get a little exercise.

“The Native Plant Garden in Fall,” Saturday, October 14, 2006, 11:00 am, Arboretum Terrace Garden. Learn about native plants that thrive in Central Valley gardens during this tour of the arboretum. Native plants are popular with gardeners because they are adapted to our climate and they support native birds and pollinators. Docent Dean Wheeler will point out plants that stand out in the fall garden for glowing colors, ornamental seed pods, or other special features. The tour will start in the Arboretum Terrace Garden, next to Borders Books and Music at the Davis Commons retail center, on First Street.

“Native Plants and Wildfire,” Saturday, October 21, 2006, 11:00 a.m., Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center. Is California's wilderness going up in flames? Wilderness fires are not always a bad thing. Wildfires help maintain grassland as well as redwood forests. Chaparral has evolved to live with fire. Walk with docent Bev Watros through the California native plant garden and the redwood grove and learn about fire ecology.

“The Oaks of the Arboretum,” Saturday, October 28, 2006, 11:00 a.m., Gazebo. The UC Davis Arboretum contains one of the nation’s largest collections of oak trees. This tour will highlight the astonishing variety of tree forms, leaves, and acorns. The oak grove is now the center of a biological dilemma — it is home to a large colony of nesting herons and egrets, whose presence is damaging the trees in this important scientific collection. Docents Edith Vermeij and David Adams will lead the tour from the Gazebo on Garrod Drive, at the west end of the arboretum.

The 32nd annual UC Davis Arboretum Plant Faire will be held on Saturday, October 7, in the Arboretum Nursery at Orchard Park. The public sale is from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., but members can get an early start from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Gardeners throughout northern California look forward to the annual Plant Faire because of its huge selection of outstanding plants for Central Valley gardens, including many unusual plants that can be found nowhere else. The sale features the Arboretum All-Stars -- tough and dependable plants that thrive in hot Central Valley gardens. There will also be lots of new and different plants for adventuresome gardeners

For the best selection, the member sale starts at 8:00 a.m. Anyone may join at the door and enjoy early admission and reduced prices. Shoppers are advised to bring a cart or wagon for their purchases. Proceeds from the sale support maintenance and development of the Arboretum's gardens, collections, and educational programs for children and adults.

A symposium, “Dairy Emissions: Recent, Ongoing, and Future Research in California: A Technical Discussion,” scheduled for Wednesday, October 11, will highlight the newest scientific findings about the ways that dairy farms affect air quality. The meeting is hosted by the UC Davis Agricultural Air Emissions Center in the Department of Animal Science and led by center director Frank Mitloehner. Featured speakers are from UC Davis, the USDA Agricultural Research Service, California State University, Fresno, and elsewhere.

The symposium will run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center. There is no registration fee, and lunch will be provided to attendees who register by October 6. Detailed program and registration information is online at http://www.arb.ca.gov/ag/caf/dairysymp906.pdf. Register online, or contact:

David Pellow, professor and director of the ethnic studies department at UC San Diego, will give the seminar, “Resisting Global Toxics: Transnational Movements for Environmental Justice,” on Wednesday, October 11, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. in Room 242, Asmundson Hall.

Pellow is author of “Garbage Wars: The Struggle for Environmental Justice in Chicago,” co-author of “The Silicon Valley of Dreams: Environmental Injustice, Immigrant Workers, and the High-Tech Global Economy,” and co-editor of “Power, Justice, and the Environment: A Critical Appraisal of the Environmental Justice Movement.”

On Friday, October 13, the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences will bestow its Awards of Distinction at its 18th annual College Celebration in Freeborn Hall. The event is held each year at harvest time to celebrate the advancement and accomplishments of our college and its impact on agriculture and the environment.

Horse fanciers, from hobbyists to breeders, will gather from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 14, for educational lectures, an obstacle training demonstration, and tour of the UC Davis Veterinary Teaching Hospital. A farrier workshop and laboratory for horse enthusiasts and professional horseshoers will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 15. Saturday’s lectures will focus on horse behavior and training, contraceptives for wild horses, feed management, therapeutic horseshoes, emergency veterinary care, and saddle fitting and selection. Speakers will include veterinarians, professors, and a farrier from UC Davis and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, as well as a private veterinarian and professional saddle maker.

The UC Davis Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science (RMI) has partnered with the Davis Downtown Business Association to bring to light many of this area's wine, beer, food, arts, and entertainment options at the only festival of its kind in Davis. The event, featuring food and entertainment for adults and children, will take place on Sunday, October 15, from noon to 5:00 p.m. Most of the afternoon can be enjoyed for free, but if you are interested in the unlimited wine, beer, and food tastings you can purchase a ticket ($25 before October 6; $35 at the event).

For additional information on the event, and for ticket information, please visit the Web site: www.davisfest.com.

Strip-till and No-till Workshops will be held on Thursday, October 19, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the UC West Side Research and Extension Center in Five Points, Calif. The conference, sponsored by the Conservation Tillage Workgroup, will feature field demonstration workshops on no-till/high residue and strip-tillage production systems for corn, cotton, and tomatoes.

The workshops will provide an opportunity for interactive discussions with farmers, researchers, and private sector partners who are actively working to develop and refine a variety of conservation tillage (CT) approaches. A panel discussion on “CT Systems: What’s Working and What Isn’t?” will precede the lunch, keynote address, and presentation of the Conservation Tillage Farmer Innovator Award. To view the complete program, please go to the Conservation Tillage Web site at http://groups.ucanr.org/ucct.

The official start-up of the Biogas Energy Plant (anaerobic phased solids digester system) will occur at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 24. The plant will test and bring to market an advanced anaerobic digestion technology that focuses on organic waste recovery and conversion for the production of biogas fuels and bio-based products. Working on the project are Ruihong Zhang, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, and Dave Konwinski, Onsite Power Systems, Inc.

If you plan on attending this event, or need additional information, please contact:

Campus Sustainability Day celebrates sustainability in higher education through events that draw participants for the exchange of ideas and knowledge among faculty, staff, and students. UC Davis celebrates its commitment to sustainability and environmentally preferable purchasing through a national Webcast and Vendor Fair on Wednesday, October 25. Activities begin in the Activities and Recreation Center (ARC) at 9:30 a.m. with a national Webcast featuring case studies from four universities. For more information on the Webcast, see http://www.scup.org/csd/4/.

The Sustainable Products Vendor Fair takes place from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the ARC. Exhibitors will showcase sustainable, environmentally preferable products including office and laboratory supplies. For more information on the vendor fair, see http://purchasing.ucdavis.edu/events/SDvendorfair06/.

The WateReuse Association, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Washington State University invite you to attend “Opportunities and Challenges in Agricultural Water Reuse,” a specialty conference to be held October 29–31, at the Hyatt Vineyard Creek in Santa Rosa, Calif. The conference will cover success stories in agricultural water reuse, the USDA’s role in water management, regulations and health aspects of using recycled water on edible and nonedible crops, economics, technology, and public perception.

The Aquatic Weed School is a two-day course focusing on weed management strategies in a variety of aquatic ecosystems. The course covers ecological classification, biology and impacts of aquatic weeds, physical and chemical characteristics of aquatic ecosystems, weed management, and hands-on aquatic weed identification including potentially new invasives. The course will also focus on regulatory issues concerned with prevention strategies, the Aquatic Nuisance Species State Plan, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permitting Program, and endangered species.

The school is for those involved in consulting, research, and management of aquatic weed systems in the western United States. Lecture notes plus an identification diagnostic CD for grasses and broadleaf weeds will be provided. For more information, visit http://wric.ucdavis.edu and click on “Aquatic Weed School”

Dennis Downing, CEO of Future Industrial Technologies, will present “Ergonomics vs. Bionomics for Injury Prevention” on Monday, November 6, 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Room 3201, Hart Hall. The seminar is part of the Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety monthly seminar series.

The 2006 Western Alfalfa and Forage Conference will be held December 11–13 in Reno, Nevada. The conference covers 11 states in the western area.

A field tour, by bus, will visit special features of Nevada agriculture (alfalfa, dairy, and specialty crops) and tourist sites. Session topics include emerging issues and market trends, economics and profitability, pest management, utilizing forage crops, irrigation and soils, future trends, harvesting, and risk management in forage production. The conference will feature a full trade show and an auction featuring farming supplies and equipment.

CA&ES Currents, the faculty/staff newsletter of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at UC Davis, is published on the first and third Thursday of each month (in July and August, only on the first Thursday.)

Some Web links cited in this newsletter may be inaccessible to off-campus sites. If you want to view the full stories on the Web from off campus, you will need to provide a username and password the first time you try to view a story: username: clips password: newz

To be added to or deleted from this electronic newsletter list, please write to [email protected].

The University of California does not discriminate in any of its policies, procedures or practices. The university is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.

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About CA&ES

The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is dedicated to solving real-world problems in the agricultural, environmental, and human sciences to produce a better world, healthier lives, and an improved standard of living for everyone.